There are many strategies to be applied if you want to win with FSBOs.

Start by calling them as soon as you see their ad or online listing. What follows are the exact words I’d say when making my calls to For Sale By Owners.

I opened the conversation like this: “Good morning. My name is Tom Hopkins, representing Champions Unlimited. I noticed your ad in the paper this morning, and was wondering if you’d be offended if I stopped by to see your home.”

Look at the power of that question. You’re being very polite. If your tone matches the words—and you must carefully rehearse to make sure that it does—you’ll sound very cordial and deferential. Not a whiff of pushiness. Yet, in this situation where they want to say no to whatever you ask, you’ve phrased your question so that a “no” answer actually means “yes, come on by.” When you get a “no” here, go into your close for popping by. This question alone won’t get you inside many FSBOs, but it will work with some.

What to Say When They Aren’t Interested

Now let’s work with the other response that a by-owner can make to my opening question. This time a man answers, and he turns out to be tough.

“Good morning, sir. My name is Tom Hopkins, representing Champions Unlimited. I noticed your ad in the paper this morning, and was wondering if you’d be offended if I stopped by to see your home.”

“Yes, I would be.”

“You would? Is the reason that you’re intending to sell the home yourself?”

“That’s right.”

“Is that also because you’d like to avoid paying a brokerage fee?”[Read more…]